Egypt has revealed extensive plans for Alam Al Roum, an ambitious new coastal city to be constructed along the Mediterranean Sea near Marsa Matruh. Commissioned by the Qatari state-backed property firm Qatari Diar, the massive master plan was formulated by the global architecture and urban planning practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The centerpiece of the expansive scheme is a comprehensive network of interconnected saltwater lagoons designed to weave maritime environments deep into the inland residential and commercial urban fabric.
Key Takeaways: The proposed city will occupy approximately 20.6 square kilometers, featuring 7.2 kilometers of prime Mediterranean coastline. The integrated canal and lagoon network will extend across an aggregate length of 22 kilometers. The project encompasses residential zones, hospitality resorts, an international business district, and a dedicated educational campus.
Unlike conventional coastal resorts where sea frontage remains exclusively reserved for high-end beachfront properties, the SOM master plan seeks to distribute water access universally across the urban layout. The constructed lagoons will meander through residential developments, civic centers, and commercial quarters, offering designated swimming areas and continuous waterfront promenades. Concurrently, the hydraulic network is engineered to serve as a functional stormwater drainage and runoff management facility capable of absorbing unpredictable regional weather events.
The urban layout accounts for North Africa’s harsh coastal elements, using optimized building orientations to harness cooling sea breezes and natural sunlight, which aims to decrease long-term energy dependency. To mitigate risks associated with coastal erosion and potential sea-level fluctuations, building sites will be strategically elevated. Complementary ecological buffers—such as reinforced sand dunes, native saline flora bands, and constructed wetlands designed for natural filtration—will safeguard the shoreline ecosystem.
Alam Al Roum aligns with Cairo’s broader drive to attract foreign direct capital and transform its northwestern seaboard into an all-season economic and leisure corridor. Development phases are anticipated to move forward under public-private cooperation, paving the way for construction work across leisure, hospitality, and civic districts in the coming years.
Source: kun.uz